rayzorx wrote:Teever wrote:Way to represent!! We should be proud of the hard work of all of our California lines and their instructors. And geez, what's in the tap water in Chino? Talk about drum line domination!
It's not what's in the water, it's what's in the junior high schools. I was talking with a Chino Hills parent at the airport on the way back. From what she told me, it sounds like the Chino high schools have a wealth of talent from the feeder schools. Like 45 kids trying out for one snare opening. Talk about competition!
Well, the feeder programs for Chino Hills HS and Ayala HS both have great indoor percussion programs which have been consistently successful over the years. There is definitely no shortage of students wanting to try out for the high school line. So obviously there are enough students interested. But a huge part of the success is the support of the community and parents. Over the years, the parents have learned and become accustomed to setting high standards and wanting their kids to have a once in a lifetime, amazing experience. The students and the families have both learned the value of hard work, dedication and commitment.
And...let's not forget staff. The Mark Stone & the Ayala HS staff have done an amazing job of setting the standard, and building a program that has become a beacon for many to look towards. The sky seems to be the limit over there.
Doug Bowden, Mike Jackson & Brian Dinkel are doing an amazing job at Chino HS. In three years they've gone from never marching indoor to 6th in PSW at WGI World Champs. That is an AMAZING accomplishment. That is a true testament to the leadership of the staff and the work ethic and dedication of the students. Congrats to those students on their accomplishments. Especially to those seniors who went from never marching indoor to placing 6th in the Nation!
Over at Chino Hills HS, our students are finally figuring out the benefits of hard work and what it means to create an identity for yourself and your program. So it's really been great getting the kids and program on the right path. I'm also lucky to have an amazing percussion staff to work with and make things happen for the students. John Mapes, Ian Grom, Jeremy Riley and all of the past and present staff have done an amazing job with building in 4 or 5 years what would normally take well over a decade.
I guess in the city of chino hills and chino we've just been very fortunate to have all the right ingredients come together at the right time. Its an amazing atmosphere to work in and I'm very thankful and grateful for the colleagues I get to work with on a daily basis.